Running-board support



F, E. GRIFFETH. RUNNING BOARD SUPPORT. APPLICATION FILED JUNE27. [918:

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

Am -newt UNITED STATES PATENT ()FHQE.

FRANGIS E. GRIFFETH, 0F ATHENS, GEORGIA.

RUNNING-BOARD SUPPORT.

Application filed June 27,

'1 0 all w izomit may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS E11 nn'r GRIF- rn'rn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Athens, in the county of Clarke and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RunningBoard Supports; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip; tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Thi invention relates to resilient devices for positively supportingthe running boards of automobiles and preventing rattle.

The principal object of my invention is to provide supporting devices that will exert a. constant, though yielding, outward pres sure against the running boards and at the same time leave the car perfectlyflexible, so as to absorb the sudden jar and jolting that would otherwise be caused by the up and down motion of the running boards when running over rough roads.

Another object is to prevent rattling of the running boards and fenders, also to prevent sagging of these parts, by keeping a constant spring tension against downwardly extending lugs of the supporting arms for the running boards at the connections of my front and rear transverse supporting devices.

My invention is applicable to motor vehicle cars in general, but in the embodiment shown is more particularly adapted to a Ford car.

For the purpose of applying my improved --,-upporting devices to a Ford car, the regular front and rear truss or spreader rods are removed and my tubular, resilient supports are then attached in the same manner that the truss rods are now attached.

The matter constituting my invention will be defined in the claims.

I will now describe the details of con-' struction by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a transverse sectional elevation through the frame and running boards of a car, showing my front resilient tubular supporting devices in position.

2 represents a sectional elevation of the rear supporting devices, being modified by having the middle part of the tube curved downward so as to pass under the drive-shaft housing.

Fig. 3 represents a sectional elevation Specification of Letters Patent.

1918. Serial No. 242,203.

showing one end of my supporting device on an enlarged scale. 1

To the side members 1 of the frame of a car are secured the usual supporting arms 2 extending downward and outward and having horizontal extensions 3, for the running boards 5, and depending lugs 4. As the construction is the same on both sides of a car I will confine my description to one side.

Instead of the usual truss rods extending transversely from one. supporting arm 2 to the other on opposite sides'of a car, I use on each side at front and rear, a short rod 6 and engage it telescopically with a tube 9. The outer screw-threaded end of the rod 6 is passed through an opening a in lug 4 and is secured in place by the outer and inner nuts 7 and 8. The tube 9 has a screw-threaded end 5, to which is applied a threaded collar or nut 10, having a tubular flange 10 A coiled compression spring 12 is applied around the short rod 8 and the screw-threaded end I) of the tube 9. The outer end of this compression spring bears against the inner face of lug 4c, the inside of the spring fitting around the nut 8. The inner end of spring 12 bears against the nut 10 with its inside fitting over the tubular flange 10*. This flange protects the screw-threaded end 7) from wear by the spring at its bearing end, and both the flange and the nut S hold the spring in place. A lock-nut 13 is applied the front one having a straight tube 9, as.

shown in Fig. 1, while in the rear device, Figs. 2 and 3, the tube is curved downward at 9 to permit it to pass below the driveshaft housing.

The parts being assembled, as shown in the drawing, the desired adjustment may be quickly made by running the collar nut 10 outward on the threaded end 6 of tube 9 against the compression spring 12, thereby causing the spring to bear more strongly against the depending lug 4 and force the running board outward and upward to the proper position. The lock nut 13 is then screwed up and securely holds the nut 10 in position. This adjustment can be made at any time during the life of the car and thus maintain a constant spring tension against the running board to prevent sagging, and to prevent up and down motion Cir and rattling of the running board and fender when the car is running over rough roads. The springs absorb the sudden jar and j olting that would otherwise be imparted to the running board and fender, thereby increasing the life of such parts, and adding to the comfort of the car. H

Having described my invention, what 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. A supporting device for the running board of an automobile, comprising a trans verse tube having screw-threaded ends, a short rod inserted in each end of the tube and having a screw-threaded outer end, a nut applied thereto, an adjustable nut having a tubular flange extending over screw threads of said tube, and a coiled compression spring with the inside of its ends fit ting respectively over said nut on the rod and said tubular flange of the adjustable nut, said flange serving to protect the screw "threads from wear by the SPIIDO.

screw-threaded ends, a short rod inserted in each end of the tube, and secured at its outer end to one of said lugs, a coiled compression spring around eac rod and bearing at its outer end on said lug, and an adjustable nut on each end of the tube adapted to bear against and compressthe sprin 3. In an automobile, the combination with side members or" the frame and outwardly inclined supporting arms for the running boards secured thereto and having each a depending'lug, of a transverse supporting device, comprising a tube having screwthreaded ends, a short'rod inserted in each end of the tube and secured by nuts to each of said lugs, a coiled compression spring around each rod and end of the tube and bearing at its outer end on one of said lugs, and an adjustable nut on each end of the tube, adapted to bear against and compress the spring.

In testimony whereoil aiiix my signa ture. 1

FRANCIS E. GRIFFETH.

Witnesses E. L. BISSON,

S. W. PINsoN. 

